Why West Ham chairman is right about ‘mad’ Vardy money

David Sullivan, West Ham’s chairman, believes the ‘mad’ money we’re willing to throw at the Jamie Vardy would blow their current wage structure.

The Foxes’ striker was linked with a move to east London but, as Sullivan said, £20m to trigger his release clause and £120,000 a week is just too much for the Hammers to handle. Therefore, it looks as if the London team’s interest in the 29-year-old is over before it began.

“On the pitch, work continues to secure the targets we have identified to ensure we build on the considerable progress made in Slaven Bilic’s first season as manager here,” Sullivan reassured West Ham’s official website.

“It was reported that one of those targets was Jamie Vardy, and while it is true that we would have love to have had him, the numbers being talked about in a potential move to Arsenal show that the market is going potty.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – MAY 10: West Ham United co-chairman David Sullivan is interviewed prior to the Barclays Premier League match between West Ham United and Manchester United at the Boleyn Ground on May 10, 2016 in London, England. West Ham United are playing their last ever home match at the Boleyn Ground after their 112 year stay at the stadium. The Hammers will move to the Olympic Stadium for the 2016-17 season. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)

“It is safe to say that signing him would have smashed our current wage structure and we are determined to buy players with good value in this mad market.”

Despite how the media are trying to spin this, he is not ‘slamming’ Arsenal. There’s actually nothing wrong with what Sullivan says (there’s a new game for you). Although £20m doesn’t seem that astronomical, £120,000 a week is huge. It’s more than the likes of Theo Walcott gets, which is fair enough if you purely just look at their last season but in terms of history, it’s huge. On the flip side though, if you win the team the Premier League title, I guess you can ask for anything you want.